Chelsy Escalona

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Woman in festive sweater with cats asks about resolutions

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Surfer holding a yellow surfboard with stylized ocean waves

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Caricature surfing queen deck card design

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Colorful and fun!

Cuban vibes from Berlin.

With vibrant colors, strong main characters and sometimes mystical elements, Chelsy draws on a variety of ideas and influences in her work. These include the folklore, music and architecture of her Cuban heritage, not forgetting her great love of cats. Now based in Berlin, Chelsy has developed an appealing, contemporary style and her own visual voice. She graduated in Graphic Design from the Superior Design Institute at the University of Havana. Chelsy works digitally but draws everything by hand in Procreate. The compositions start with the main character, but Chelsy pays a lot of attention to details and textures to create micro-stories in each image. Languages English and Spanish

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Interview

What led you to become an illustrator? Since I was a child I always wanted to be an artist, I had lot of support from my family and they encouraged me to grow my skills and pursue an arts career, I ended up studying graphic design and there I learned about illustration and fell in love, so after graduation I started to looking for my voice and style by drawing more every day until I found the visual language that spoke to me as an artist and later became my own voice as an illustrator.Did you study illustration in college? I studied illustration as part of my Graphic Design degree in the Superior Institute of Design ISDi in Havana Cuba. We studied some mixed techniques mostly based on traditional art; the digital art came to my life after I graduated and learned it on my own, using what I already knew from school but exploring this new medium which was totally new to me.Where did you grow up? I’m from Havana, Cuba. I lived there until my 30s,then my husband and I decided to move to Europe and build our careers here.Do you have a childhood memory relating to art that you hold dear? I have many memories, one very dear to my heart was when my grandparents saw any drawing I made and gasp at it like I had painted something amazing! They encouraged me a lot, as well as my dad who took me to an art workshop for kids every weekend and later to my art lessons when I was in high school, to prepare for art school.Where do you live now and what drew you there? Now I’m living in Berlin. My husband and I moved here a year ago for work. As I’m an artist and my work is mostly online and remote I love that we can move freely anywhere and build our lives wherever we want. Also Berlin is such a great place for art, you can breathe it everywhere and it’s an amazing city to explore more into my artist career.Describe your studio for us I have a shared studio at home, my little corner as I like to call it, it’s full of colour, plants and things I like and have been collecting in the past year, since I moved from my country and had to leave all my art stuff behind I have now the chance to rebuild a space where I can feel inspired and cosy and where I love to come and spend my days making art and working towards my dreams.Do you have a studio pet?I have a gorgeous cat. We adopted her six years ago when she was just a baby, her name is Arya and she is the inspiration behind most of my work. She is loving and doesn’t leave my side, we had put a bed for her in the studio where she sleeps while she is not on my desk keeping me company.Who or What is your biggest inspiration? I would say life is my biggest inspiration. I like drawing daily scenes and mundane moments, which I call little treasures because these details or memories are our happiness and sometimes we overlook them. But I also find a lot of inspiration in fantasy and magic, which is something I’ve been exploring in recent times.If you had to write your own epitaph in one sentence, what would it say?Cat mom, always dreaming.What causes are you passionate about?I’m passionate about animal’s rights and women's equality and freedom from stereotypes.How do you separate your work life from your home life?Since I have my studio in a separate room in our home I have made myself a work schedule, where I start working at 9:30 in the morning and clock off at 5pm, and try to not work on weekends, this has helped me to have time to unwind and do other things like, spending time with my family, taking care of myself, eat properly and just rest.Do you adopt any environmental habits/practices to be more sustainable?We have been learning about recycling since we arrived in Germany, which I found is really good practice, and have been also trying to incorporate it into my small business.Do you collect anything? I love miniatures, and I have a small collection of cat’s figurines on my work desk and a Japanese diorama. I also enjoy painting D&D minis.What was your favourite assignment ever?I had to work on a mental health project which was about creating encouragement cards, and my assignment was The Cat, which talked about compassion and protecting the ones we love and I enjoyed working on it a lot and loved the final result.Who is your art hero? Hayao Miyazaki, I love how he builds his worlds and characters, and also his visual style which I found deeply inspirational.Who is your design hero? Paula Scher, her journey is something that inspired me a lot.Who is your music hero? Taylor Swift, I love how she is making her mark in music history while still being herself.If you were not an illustrator, what would you be? Definitely a graphic designer, I believe is a beautiful career and with a lot of purpose.If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? Japan, it’s a long time dream that I hope to fulfill one day.Have you any hidden talents? I love to dance and I’m pretty good at it, also I can cook!How would someone who knows you well describe you? As someone, nice, relatable, trustworthy, loyal, loving, who cares for other people’s feelings and someone who is passionate about art and what I do.What is your go-to comfort food?Eggs and french fries. Quick to make and never disappoints.What movie can you watch over and over?There are many, Mulan will be one of them, Spirited Away, Soltera Codiciada 1, I could go on but will stop here.What is the last show you binged?One Piece the Live Action on Netflix.What was the last concert you went to?It was an Estopa concert and we had an amazing time, besides it was a long time dream come true.What is your favourite book?I have read many books that I’ve loved, but can’t pick just one. Some of my favourites are The Alchemist, The Magic Buss (the one with the dinosaur trip) , and La Legion de la Tarantula (is a children’s illustrated mystery story, amazing!).What is your go-to karaoke song?Sabor a mi, cover by Monsieur Periné.What is your favourite quote?Success is to get what you want, happiness is to enjoy what you get.What career advice would you give your younger self?Keep going, you got this! One step back doesn’t define your entire journey, there is always room for growth.Is there a work lesson you’ve had to learn the hard way?Yes, I had to learn to value my work and to say no to things I’m just not interested in, also that sometimes we are not ready yet for things that come our way, and though it might be heartbreaking it’s also a great opportunity to learn and grow and become better at what we do.Do you have any tips/advice for other illustrators?Stop listening to the noise outside and learn to listen to yourself first, follow your instincts and don’t worry so much about what others think.

Favourites

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Illustration of couple kissing by a yellow car on a road trip

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Comic portrait of Elisa Gutierrez for the Vine Spirit Campaign

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Blueberry cream cake with constellation patterns by Chelsy Escalona

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Illustration of Nearest Green Distillery building under blue sky by Chelsy Escalona

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Illustration of a green monkey holding a bottle on a blue cloth

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Solitaire card illustration with a monkey

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Illustration of a colorful fish holding a fishing rod

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Edinburgh Festival Stand-Up Comedy Poster

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Illustration of woman with blue hair in jar with tulips by Chelsy Escalona

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White cat sleeping under wooden shelf with potted plant by Chelsy Escalona

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Illustration of a white cat with red wings and a black cat with purple wings by Chelsy Escalona

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Vibrant illustration of a woman and cat with sunglasses by Chelsy Escalona

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Game card illustrations featuring kings and queens

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Goddess holding glowing light above child reaching up, by Chelsy Escalona

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Two people relaxing with food and drinks on a colorful floor by Chelsy Escalona

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Book jacket of 'The Cat Affirmation Card"

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Celebrate your heritage; Women's Month Campaign, 2022

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Illustration of an elemental woman by Chelsy Escalona

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Illustration of a woman with purple hair among flowers and water by Chelsy Escalona

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Photograph of American businesswoman Fawn Weaver

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"Cambio de Aires", story for La Jeringa Magazine, 2021

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Illustration of a woman with long hair surrounded by large pink flowers and white orbs by Chelsy Esc

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Whimsical book cover with sunflowers and a hidden woman

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Diverse hands holding colorful pencils symbolizing ethics and inclusion

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Three takeout boxes with food and pair of chopsticks on pink background

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Colorful botanical illustrations of flowers on a pink background

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Illustration of lime and avocado slices on pink botanical background

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Black and white illustration of a window with sunflowers and swirling night sky

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Three women sitting in colorful room with plants and cat

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Wednesday Addams sitting on a cloud with potion and bats

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Character expressions study of Peach Riot's Poppy with various emotions

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Red d20 dice with skulls, wings, and banners saying Roll for Initiative

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Kitchen counter with tea, cookies, jars, and plants by window, art by Chelsy Escalona

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Chelsy Escalona

Selected illustrations

Illustration of a purple-haired mermaid underwater with sea creatures

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Illustration of woman sitting among food and candles, book cover

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Illustration of two green monkeys in orange shorts relaxing on a purple mat

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Agave field with large wooden barrels and two flying hummingbirds by Chelsy Escalona

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Woman in red coat looking up at cherry blossoms, cats nearby, vending machine

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Illustration of a tennis court with racquet, net, ball basket, plants, and flowers

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Digital drawing of computer man game card

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Hip hop man with headphones, boombox, and cassette tapes in vibrant style

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Whimsical illustration of woman with pink hair holding sunflowers

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Barbie figure in pink outfit breaking out of box, artwork by Chelsy Escalona

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Maternity mini comic illustrated by Chelsy Escalona

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Digital illustration of spring balconies blossoming

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Food and drink illustration of green tea

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Three witches in a kitchen surrounded by magical items by Chelsy Escalona

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Christmas Decorations Editorial Illustration

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The Fallen Demon, 2022 book cover illustration

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Illustration of woman sitting with two cats near laptop in colorful room by Chelsy Escalona

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Beauty Illustration of Spring Vibes, 2023

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Editorial illustration about vintage feelings

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Cover illustrations from the book "The Ether"

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Visualized illustration of Chihiro to Chelsy

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Illustration of erotic susceptibility as a concept

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Three witches in colorful kitchen with cats and Halloween decor

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Colorful floral and food pattern with birds and butterflies on pink

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Illustration of sliced citrus, garlic, onion, and rolled food on pink background

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Illustrations of various sandwiches and pizza slices on pink background

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Illustration of assorted peppers and a sliced onion on pink background

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Woman meditating surrounded by sunflowers with heart and spiritual motifs

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Illustration of woman with red hair wearing blue scarf and flower glasses

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Illustration of Jinx with blue braided hair and purple jacket

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Illustration of artist starter pack with woman, cat, art supplies, plant

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Girl feeding ducks near a wooden bridge and path, artwork by Chelsy Escalona

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Whimsical book cover with sunflowers and colorful floral patterns

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Hazel holding a tarot card with city and water background by Chelsy Escalona

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Toffee cat reaching for birds in Tarot card by Chelsy Escalona

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Logan holding a glowing orb with lightning, bright sky background by Chelsy Escalona

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Young witch feeding a white cat with tea and magical items, by Chelsy Escalona

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Three women in colorful Halloween costumes with ghosts and spooky elements, by Chelsy Escalona

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Couple kissing by yellow car with pink sky and mountains

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Colorful mermaid with purple hair swimming underwater near shipwreck

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Woman sitting on kitchen floor surrounded by desserts and fruits

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Food illustration of strawberry ice cream

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Black cat wearing Santa hat with colorful Christmas gift bags

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Playing card with the theme of tridents and waves

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Illustration of a girl tufting with yarn and tufting guns

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Jane the Tiny with garden friends sheltering from rain by a large cat, by Chelsy Escalona

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Book cover with jars, tea cup, knife, and cookies by Chelsy Escalona

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Fantasy magical illustration of Cat Witch

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Coquito illustration for Rotari Magazine

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Illustration of flowers sprouting from socks in pink sneakers by Chelsy Escalona

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Illustration of woman with pink hair and red flowers holding a straw in a drink by Chelsy Escalona

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Floral themed card deck and illustrated aces by Chelsy Escalona

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Cat wrapped as a Christmas tree with garland and star on red background

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Woman sitting beside a white cat near colorful wall and plants by Chelsy Escalona

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Contemporary illustration of fashion beauty

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An erotic poster for The Infinite Machine Movie, 2022

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Red-haired fairy surrounded by vibrant flowers by Chelsy Escalona

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The 2022 Book Cover for Las Escritoras de Urras

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Heidi Sheid for Women in Vine Spirit Campaign, 2023

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Book cover illustration of "Drained", 2022

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Concept illustration of a flower-themed woman

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Pink hibiscus flowers on a light pink botanical background

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Two colorful hummingbirds flying near red berries on branches

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Illustration of pasta bowl and lasagna on pink floral background

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Black and white drawing of an hourglass with sunflowers and a face inside

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Woman in red phone booth with floral background and DoorDash ad

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Illustration of a woman with pink hair lounging by water with sunglasses and drink

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Woman holding a heart emerging from a book surrounded by sunflowers

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Woman in colorful room holding a candle with tarot cards nearby

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Alice in blue dress with mushrooms and roses, artwork by Chelsy Escalona

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